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Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–1
The present progressive
• The present progressive (el presente progresivo) narrates an
action in progress. It is formed with the present tense of estar
and the present participle (el gerundio) of the main verb.
Éric está sacando
una foto.
Aguayo está bebiendo
café.
Fabiola está escribiendo
el artículo.
Éric is taking a photo. Aguayo is drinking coffee. Fabiola is writing the article.
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–2
• The present participle of regular –ar, –er,
and –ir verbs is formed as follows:
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–3
• Stem-changing verbs that end in –ir also
change their stem vowel when they form the
present participle.
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–4
• Ir, poder, reír, and sonreír have irregular
present participles (yendo, pudiendo,
riendo, sonriendo). Ir and poder are seldom
used in the present progressive.
Marisa está sonriendo todo
el tiempo.
Maribel no está yendo a clase
últimamente.
Marisa is smiling all the time. Maribel isn’t going to class lately.
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–5
When progressive forms are used with reflexive verbs or object pronouns, the pronouns may either be attached to the present participle (in which case an accent mark is added to maintain the proper stress) or placed before the conjugated verb. See 2.1 Object pronouns, pp. 54–55, and 2.3 Reflexive verbs, pp. 62–63, for more information.
Se están enamorando.Están enamorándose.
They are falling in love.
Te estoy hablando.Estoy hablándote.
I am talking to you.
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–6
Note that the present participle of ser is siendo.
(continued)
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–7
• When the stem of an –er or –ir verb ends in a
vowel, the –i– of the present participle ending
changes to –y–.
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–8
• Progressive forms are used less frequently in Spanish
than in English, and only when emphasizing that an
action is in progress at the moment described. To refer
to actions that occur over a period of time or in the near
future, Spanish uses the present tense instead.
Lourdes estudia economía en la UNAM. Ahora mismo, Lourdes está tomando
un examen.
Lourdes is studying economics at UNAM. Right now, Lourdes is taking an exam.
¿Vienes con nosotros al Café Pamplona? No, no puedo. Ya estoy cocinando.
Are you coming with us to Café Pamplona? No, I can’t go. I’m already cooking.
PRESENT TENSE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–9
Other tenses may have progressive forms as well. These tenses
emphasize that an action was/will be in progress.
PAST (pp. 94–105)
Estaba marcando su número justo cuando él me llamó.
I was dialing his number right when he called me.
FUTURE (pp. 216–219)
No vengas a las cuatro, todavía estaremos trabajando.
Don’t come at four o’clock; we will still be working.
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–10
Other verbs with the present participle
• Spanish expresses various shades of progressive
action by using verbs such as seguir, ir, venir, and
andar with the present participle.
• Seguir with the present participle expresses the idea
of to keep doing something.
Emilio sigue hablando. Mercedes sigue quejándose.
Emilio keeps on talking. Mercedes keeps complaining.
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–11
• Ir with the present participle indicates a
gradual or repeated process. It often conveys
the English idea of more and more.
Cada día que pasa voy
disfrutando más de
esta clase.
Ana y Juan van acostumbrándose
al horario de clase.
I’m enjoying this class more
and more every day.
Ana and Juan are getting more and
more used to the class schedule.
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–12
• Venir with the present participle indicates a
gradual action that accumulates or increases
over time.
Hace años que viene
diciendo cuánto le
gusta el béisbol.
Vengo insistiendo en lo mismo
desde el principio.
He’s been saying how much
he likes baseball for years.
I have been insisting on the same
thing from the beginning.
Copyright © 2015 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3–13
• Andar with the present participle conveys the
idea of going around doing something or of
always doing something.
José siempre anda
quejándose de eso.
Román anda diciendo mentiras.
José is always complaining
about that.
Román is going around telling lies.
